Mistaken Identity
by persian85033
Summary: Someone pretending to give an interview as Batman. But it gets them in trouble.
1. Chapter 1

"I do think you are _very_…not caring."said Helena. "And see? Even my Mina agrees with me."

She gestured toward a white, blue eyed cat who purred.

Dana looked at the cat irritably, as it purred. It seemed to confirm Helena's statement.

Dana was not a cat person. She didn't exactly like animals too much, and especially not cats. Not _these_ cats.

Normally, she would have shooed it away, but this one refused to leave, and it settled on Helena's lap. She also had another one who stretched across her shoulders.

Helena seemed to read her expression and stiffened. Dana could tell Helena was not happy at the way she was looking at her cat. Helena took anything having to do with her cats very personally, and glared in Dana's direction.

Noticing this, the cats also turned their eyes towards her. Under the three pairs of unblinking eyes, one a soft blue, another a deeper blue, and one golden, and although neither cat growled or hissed, Dana looked away.

After Helena and both of her cats relaxed, Dana spoke.

"I do care."she said.

"He vanishes. Suddenly. I don't think that's quite normal. No explanation, either."

Lately, Helena seemed to have noticed that Terry did disappear, and sometimes came up with the lamest excuses she had said.

Dana didn't exactly blame her. She had been just as confused as Helena was now. Until Terry had told her.

"And if it were me, I would at least have hired a private investigator. Although it's more likely that I would stalk him myself, of course."

"I think you definitely would have stalked him. You're the most obsessive person I know."

Helena seemed to consider that for a while.

"I am."she finally said. "But you must be _extremely_ self confident, if you continue. I'd be convinced he saw someone else."

Dana rolled her eyes.

"It's so like you to think that. And you'd make their lives a living hell, too."

Even though she always looked so perfectly self controlled, Dana knew Helena to be one of the most emotional people she'd met.

"I would at the very least come up with some way to hurt him as much, if not more than, he hurt me."said Helena, grimly. "No one would ever think to make a fool of _me_. But we must go."Helena stood up.

She always talked in plural, including her cats.

As usual, at any sign from Helena, which only she and they could understand, they shifted in position. Probably to be more comfortable while Helena walked.

"We must not take up much of your time. Or ours."


	2. Chapter 2

"I've worked the entire thing out."Helena was saying.

"Worked what out?"Dana asked.

"What else?"sighed Helena. "You're obviously being…not very smart?"

"What do you mean not very smart?"

"Exactly that. If you were, you would have lost no time, and seen to it that you were not fooled."

"Fooled by?"

"That's simple. I've decided it is true. Terry _must_ see someone else. I have seen that happen."

"What do you mean, you've seen that happen?"

"It can be easy, of course. Especially when you're too trusting."

Dana stared.

"He's not seeing anyone else."said Dana, shaking her head.

"And you're _sure_? Because _I'm_ sure he is."

"I'm sure. You're just imagining that."

"Oh, I really do wish I was just imagining it!"

"Something, or I should say someone, then must take up quite a bit of his time. I've known people just like that."

"Well,"said Dana. "Terry's not like those people you've known. He's just busy."

"Busy."

Helena looked so sure, that despite herself, Dana began to feel uneasy and had to ask.

"Have you seen something?" she asked.

"No." Helena admitted.

"Then I don't believe you."

"Yet you asked me if I had seen something. You should believe me. I would be more concerned, and keep a much closer eye on him."

"I'm not possessive."

"Of course not. Because like I said, you're too confident."

"Yes, I am."Dana affirmed.

Dana looked away as Helena stared.

"You really are very confident. Why?"she insisted. "You discard it so easily. You're sure. You must know something I don't, then?" Helena decided.

"Wasn't your mother confident?"asked Dana.

"I'm really not sure what you're talking about. There's no reason _Mai_ wouldn't have been."

"Did she think your father saw someone else? Didn't-"

Surely, she thought Lady Selina would have gone through the same thing, if not something similar when she had dated .

Helena stood up, furious with herself. That was forbidden.

"Didn't what?" she demanded.

"Nothing."

But maybe Helena didn't know anything about her father's secret. Maybe the Lady didn't, either?

"No! Finish your sentence! _Now_!"

Dana really hadn't seen Helena get so angry before. She looked furious.

"You were going to stay something! I know! I know you were! It was about," Helena looked around, as though afraid someone were around to overhear. "what you were going to say was about-about _him_, wasn't it?"

She always said 'him', but Dana knew Helena was referring to her father.

"Calm down! You're scaring me."

Helena sat down, feeling furious with herself. She shouldn't have acted that like that, but it was hard for things to go one's way when there were other people involved. No matter how hard you tried, they were always so unexpected.

She reached up, and stroked Adela. Cats were different. So different.

It was certainly comforting to know there was someone there who was 'safe' as she thought to herself. She could always count on her cats. And they would certainly would never do or say anything hurtful to her, she knew.

Her mother, and Maven, whom she had known all her life were the only people she could feel just as comfortable as she felt with her cats.

Dana could see she was very disturbed over something, as her hand reached up to where her cat was wrapped around her shoulders.

"That's a subject that is absolutely forbidden." Helena finally said. "And must never be mentioned. Ever."

"Fine, fine. But I know Terry's not seeing anyone else."Dana said.

Although she knew that wasn't so, Helena spoke so convincingly of it, Dana couldn't help but wonder.

She really had a way of convincing other people she was telling the truth, and getting them to believe her. But she wouldn't let Helena convince her.

Despite everything, this was actually something that had never crossed her mind, actually. She'd thought things like he didn't care. Or he was always too busy.

"I guess if you say so." Helena said.

"I do say so."

"Then it's possible he's simply a workaholic. Something like that?"


	3. Chapter 3

Dana hadn't known her for very long, but enough to know Helena would have just ignored her that question, or pretend she didn't hear. She still thought Helena was very rude. She should know that by now.

Helena was Terry's half sister. Both had only found out a short time ago. Although Helena had always known who her father was, she had never thought she could have any brothers or sisters. Terry had never thought that, either.

Her mother was Selina Kyle, and at first, Terry had been afraid Helena might have the same love of stealing as her mother did. Fortunately, he had been wrong. He had never been so glad to be wrong, as he was that time.

It turned out even though she resembled her mother in their like of cats, she didn't have the same liking for stealing. Although she was very attached to the things her mother had stolen. Lady Selina had given them to her.

Helena had given them to Terry in exchange that he posed as Batman for her. Helena did so grudgingly, saying no one would ever have thought to ask for such a high price.

However, Dana thought, Helena was hard to get along with. It could be because it upset her to find that people thought she was like her mother, and liked to steal, as well? But Helena idolized her mother. The only ones who got along with her well, it seemed, where who else but her cats. Or it was just that her mother always spoiled her and let her have her own way in everything.

Then there were her cats! She took them everywhere. At least everywhere she could, if they were allowed. Especially one black one, Adela. She never went anywhere without them. The only exception was any place where pets weren't allowed, of course, which she always avoided if she could help them.

And Dana found them a bit unnerving. They were well behaved, but there was something that made a person feel uncomfortable around them. Maybe it was because Helena treated them so much like they were people, that you always got the impression that they were.

"_I don't really feel safe without them."_

Helena had explained when Dana had asked her why she took them everywhere with her.

Helena had said Dana was too confident. Dana had asked her if Lady Selina had been just as confident. Dana had only seen her a couple of times, and she really didn't strike her as unsure of herself at all. Right now, though, she herself didn't feel as confident as Helena said she was.

Both of the cats who had gone with her were enormously relieved to be home. One jumping off Helena's shoulders, as she put the other one down. The other ones in the room looked just as glad to see them and Helena.

Dana seemed to puzzle her. She seemed awfully confident. Too sure of herself, Helena thought. So sure, she didn't mind having Terry just…cancel. Or maybe even not show up all together.

She didn't seem to mind. Much. She had to mind _something_. Even a little? Or maybe it was just that she thought she wasn't worth much? Could someone be worth so little? Could they not be worth anything at all?

Then again, it could be that she was too confident. Or not confident enough. Or maybe she just didn't care at all. Only that could explain her lack of fear?

_Mai_ would never have allowed anyone to stand her up in that way, Helena knew. Maybe she would have stood someone up. But the other way around was just unthinkable.

And I wouldn't, either, she thought to herself.

She knew nothing could have been so important that would have caused someone to cancel on her, much less at last minute, being late, or not showing up at all.

Helena didn't like to think of herself as nosy, but…just like a kitten, her curiosity always got the better of her. There was only one exception to that particular 'rule'.

One thing, which no matter how curious she was, how much she wanted to, she was firm that her curiosity would not get the better of her, and cause her to humiliate herself, but she mustn't think about that.

The less she thought about it, the better, she knew. It was best to just leave it alone, so as to not tempt herself, and there being danger that she may give in.

It was making everyone uncomfortable. She could feel it around the room, as the cats became restless.

She must turn her mind to something else, but the same idea kept coming back. It wandered into her head too often lately, she thought, feeling annoyed.

The real solution, she thought, would be to talk to _Mai_, say she was already tired of this place, and wanted to go to…she could let _Mai_ decide where to go.

But that would be an easy way out, Helena told herself. And she wasn't one to give in so easily. If it was a battle of wills, the only outcome could be that she won out. Anything else…out of the questions.

That was the way it always happened, anyway. However, this time was different. It was herself who she was battling.


	4. Chapter 4

"Did you get many dates canceled, or…that he just doesn't show up, _Mai_?"Helena asked.

Helena loved to sit with her mother. She and her cats would spread around the floor, while she would tell Selina about her day, or listen to her recalling her days as Catwoman. Selina always made Helena feel just as secure as her cats did.

Selina looked up.

"My kitten wouldn't have any dates cancelled, would she?" she asked.

Helena shook her head.

"I can assure you I wouldn't, _Mai_. But if they did? Constantly?"

"This doesn't sound like something that would normally trouble you, Helena."

"No." Helena assured once more. "Not me. But it does trouble other people, I know. Or rather, it doesn't trouble them at all." she said cautiously.

"Then why would you be concerned about that?"

Helena thought for a while.

"If they did…were you not worth much?" she asked out loud.

Was I not worth much?she asked silently.

"You…wouldn't see them ever again?" she kept asking.

"No. I honestly don't think I would."

Helena nodded.

But you did see at least one again, didn't you?she wanted to ask, but didn't.

"But what is this about?" Selina asked. "I know there's something troubling my kitten."

Selina knew Helena wouldn't be worrying about something that had nothing to do with her.

"You have to tell me whatever it is that's bothering you, my precious." she told Helena.

"That toms, or not toms, but human males behave in a very different way than toms. The queen wouldn't stand for such a thing, would she?"

After all, it was her experience both from the way her cats behaved, and from observing her mother that the females were always the more dominant of the two.

"Oh, but the queen wouldn't worry about that, either." Selina smiled.

"And human females would?"

"People are different." Selina stroked Samia, the cat curled in her lap.

"I've noticed."

Terry wanted to know she was telling Dana he was seeing someone else when that wasn't true.

"Because I did tell her. It would be no use if I told you I didn't when I did, would it?"

"Look, you say your life is no one's business, so my life is none of your business."

Helena looked up suddenly.

"I did say that. But give me an answer, and I'll stop prying. I promise, but it has to be a satisfactory answer, though."

"I don't have to give you any answers."

"Yes you do, because I asked you!"

Helena stood up.

"I said I did ask you!"

"It's my life."

They both stood for a few minutes, glaring at each other.

Each second Helena could feel herself growing angrier. She wasn't used to being denied anything she asked for.

Terry knew Helena was used to always getting her own way. But she wasn't dealing with her mother, and she would just have to learn that he wasn't going to give in to her as easily as she did.

And neither one showed any sign of backing down.

"I know it isn't the first time you've done something like this, but I want you to stay out of my life."

"Fine."she said. "But I don't intend to forget about it."


	5. Chapter 5

Helena knew it would be better to give in, but it simply wasn't in her nature to do so. However, eventually, she did blink and look away. She only looked back at Terry resentfully.

"Fine, you won't tell me." she finally said.

"All I want is for you to stay out."he said.

"I was only curious."

"Curiosity killed the cat."

"Not always, and when it doesn't, 'satisfaction brought it back'."

It was impossible to beat her with quotes about cats. She must have them all memorized.

"But curiosity killing is a possibility, after all." she admitted. "And even so, it may just be worth it. I know you hide something. And even if this does kill, I must find out what it is."

"What for? Like I said, it's none of your business." he repeated. "Do I have to keep repeating until you get it?"

"I didn't mean to cause trouble." she said. "But I must find out whatever it is. I think it may be important. If you were seeing someone else, after all, I wouldn't stand for it."

"There's nothing for you to find out."he finally said.

Helena looked lost in thought for a while.

"I'm going to believe you didn't mean to cause trouble, but I just don't want you to be telling Dana things like that." Terry said.

Sometimes it was hard enough to keep his relationship with Dana, without Helena adding her dramatic fantasies in as well.

Helena looked up, with a look of interest.

"Then you do see someone else?" she asked.

"No! Will you just drop it? It's got nothing to do with you."

"Um..."she began. "I...may...not...but I may?"

"No, not may, you _will_."

"I don't take orders, Terry! Not from you! Only from one person."

When Helena said she only took orders from one person, he knew she meant Lady Selina.

"And if the Lady told you to drop it, you'll drop it?"

"In that case, would I really have that much of a choice?" she asked.

Then he'd have to get the Lady to get her to forget about it. Or there could just be some other way to get Helena's attention away from this.

"Let's not argue." Helena said when she spoke again. "When I argue with someone, I usually don't speak them again. And I don't want that."

"You never speak to them again?"

"No."

"Never?"

"Never."she confirmed.

"Why not?"

"Because usually they're wrong."

"And if they're right?"

"That's not very likely, as hardly anyone argues with me, anyway."

Terry certainly believed that. Helena would never admit she was wrong.

"But it usually makes little difference if we got along well before or not. So I'd rather you and I not argue."

"Then let's not, and you don't look for any reason to."

"_You_ find reasons, _I_ don't!"

"Let's talk about something else, then."

"Then…" Helena searched in her mind for a different topic. "one of my ex step brothers soon." she said.

"Ex step brothers?"

"Yes."


	6. Chapter 6

"I didn't know you had any step siblings." said Terry. "What's his name?"

He knew she'd mentioned something about that before. After all, Lady Selina had been married a few times. Although Helena didn't like to talk about that.

"You never talk about your stepfathers or anything." he continued.

"They weren't really my stepfathers." Helena replied. "They were _Mai_'s husbands."

"Wouldn't that make them your stepfathers?"

"No. I simply saw them as men _Mai_ was married to. Nothing else. There's a huge difference. And I never spoke to them. I never saw them if I could help it."

"How could you avoid seeing them?"

"I simply never came out."

"You never came out? I find that very hard to believe."

"It's not hard. I just made sure when I did come out, I wouldn't encounter them. I saw as little of them as I could. I managed it by my cats telling me where and when."

She did seem to have some bond with her cats. Terry had wondered if perhaps she did have some kind of telepathic communication with them. But that was a ridiculous idea.

"You never liked them at all, did you?"

"No! I highly disliked them."

"All of them?"

"All of them." she confirmed.

Adela hissed as Helena spoke, as always, to emphasize her words.

"Why?" he asked. "Didn't Lady Selina want you to get along with them?

"I didn't have to get along with anyone I didn't like if I didn't want to."

Terry certainly believed that.

"They were married to her, not to me. It was maybe the only thing _Mai_ and I were at odds."

"And the only time you didn't get your way, am I right?"

"You are. I never wanted her to marry, but she did. And I hated it. And nothing I did to stop it worked most of the time, either!"

"What did you do to stop them?"

"What _didn't_ I do to stop them? I did everything I could think of. I despised them very much."

"So you didn't like your step siblings, either?"

"Only one or two of them when we shared a common interest or anything like that."

"But you like this one?"

"He speaks my language. It will be nice to speak to someone in my own language again."

Sometimes, Helena would teach him a few words or phrases. Not that he was that great at languages. And of course, he didn't know enough to have a conversation.

"I learned a little bit, didn't I?"

"I like it better when people speak it without a foreign accent."

"My accent can't be so horrible, can it? Lady Selina speaks it with an accent, doesn't she?"

"Yes, she does. Someone I knew always found it humorous. But _Mai_ has a larger vocabulary, even if she is horrible at sentence structure and especially pronunciation."

"You like him _only_ because he speaks your language?"

"One grows to appreciate it things like that when you move around so much. At least I did."

"Was his father Lady's Selina's first husband?"

They must be step siblings from the Lady's first marriage, as it was a language not spoken outside Aragon, so it must have been when Helena still lived there. Terry knew she had left when she was four.

"He was." she confirmed. "But we got along because we share some common interests."

Terry looked at Adela.

"He likes cats, too? You wouldn't fail to like someone who likes cats, after all."

"He likes them. At least he doesn't mind them at all."

She looked fondly at Adela.

"So what interests do you share?"

"He does like art, but he doesn't paint or anything. And we know some of the same people as well. We're also both fond of all animals. And he would always make me smile."

"You still haven't told me his name, by the way."

"Oh. I didn't, did I? It's Ferrando."


	7. Chapter 7

"I didn't know coming to Gotham would have made your life so exciting!" exclaimed Ferrando.

"My life isn't really exciting." Helena replied. "It's the same as it's always been, isn't it?"

"You find out you have a brother, and everything is the same? I never would have imagined. And you said anything, either."

"I never imagined it, either." she admitted. "Although, I never gave it much thought. I didn't really give it any thought at all."

Ferrando turned to Terry.

"Did you?"he asked.

"No. It was a surprise for me, too."

"I see you don't have the same idiosyncrasies. At least you're not wearing gloves." Ferrando observed. "I wondered that could have been something like a family thing, or just an Helena thing."

"It's a me thing, I assure you." said Helena.

"Yeah, it is. All the others, too." added Terry.

"You're not at all related Selina's, are you?" asked Ferrando.

"You call her by her first name?"

"I always have. She was my stepmother. But you're not related to her."

"No, I'm not."

Ferrando turned to Helena.

"That means you finally found out who your father is?"

Terry turned to Helena. He knew she knew exactly who her father was. She'd told him before that she'd always known. But Helena didn't answer, but sat stiffly.

"Talk about something else." she said instead.

"Diana is still traveling to see the world?" said Ferrando, finding a different topic.

"Where and how did you ever find her?!" Helena turned to Terry. "Diana used to live here, but she seemed to have inherited a very large sum of money. She left Gotham, and now, she just goes from one place to another."

"Would you believe in Cypress?"

"What in the world would Diana Clay be doing in Cypress? I imagined her to be, I don't know, in Paris? Venice? If you found her, why didn't you bring her with you?"

"Diana Clay?"

"Do you know her?"

"I think I met a Diana Clay somewhere, but I couldn't tell you for sure."

"I keep getting the impression that she's hiding from something. Or someone."

"Diana? Running? From what? From who?" Helena asked.

Terry knew exactly what Diana they were talking. What she was running from, too.

"I have no idea. She never says where she's going, or anything like that. She just moves from one place to another. Just disappears."

"Oh, she's running from the law! Is she?" asked Helena.

"I doubt that."

Helena looked disappointed.

"But it looks like she has no plans to come back to Gotham."

"She's probably just spending her money as fast as she possibly can. And what better way to do that, than to be going from one place to another, I suppose? Staying in the best hostels. Things like that."

"Actually, she doesn't stay in the best hotels. At all. She was terrified to see me. She didn't want to be seen with me."

"You? She really must be terrified of being found."

"I think she definitely is."

"She must be running from creditors or something like that." Helena decided. "Spent all the money already, and now," she shrugged. "she has a lot of debts. As always, I guess. That really wouldn't be a surprise."


	8. Chapter 8

"He doesn't know?" Terry asked.

Ferrando left, and it was now only the two of them talking.

"Nope. And I never knew, either."

"I don't understand. I thought you told me you'd always known who your father is." said Terry.

"I have." replied Helena. "You and I both know I do know. How could I _not_? If you and I are agnate half siblings. We would both have to know. Wouldn't we? Otherwise, it makes little sense, doesn't it?"

"But Ferrando thinks you don't know?"

"To his knowledge, I don't. I simply have one, just as everyone else does. As to whom he could possibly be, I have no clue. That's the impression he has, anyway. And we must keep it that way."

Terry didn't see why they had to keep it so secret.

"I don't see why you have to keep it all a secret. Did Lady Selina tell you to keep it secret?"

The only reason he could think of was that she knew about Bruce's being Batman, and she'd been told to keep quiet.

"Why would she do that? Is there any reason why it should be kept a secret?"

Her cats perked their ears up. The cats' interest was enough to tell him that she wasn't faking, and honestly didn't know.

"No reason."

"Of course there would be no reason."

Helena sounded disappointed, and the cats turned their attention away from Terry.

"You look disappointed."

"Whatever gave you that idea?" she asked.

"You look just like you did when Ferrando told you this Diana wasn't running from the law, for one thing."

"You read me, don't you? I hate people who read other people well. But no one ever told me to keep it secret. I guess I just happen to have an affinity for keeping secrets?"

That much was true. Helena kept a lot of things. And it wouldn't be too surprising.

"No one knows, because no one should know. It's no one's business." she continued. "Other than my own. If you're worried he may ask your, then don't, because he won't. I will already never forgive for coming here of all places. But he didn't know, and he does know just how unpleasant I find that particular subject, and how much I hate even thinking about it."

"Unpleasant, and you say you don't like to talk about it, but you almost always want to hear about him all the time."

Helena did always want him to tell her about Bruce. She was so stubborn, and always said she would never see him. Her curiosity only went as far as talking to Terry.

"I only want to know." she said. "And I only discuss it with you."

Neither of them spoke for a while.

"Outside of us, no one knows. At least, not to my knowledge. Ferrando knows a little more about it than most people, but he also knows much, much better than to be meddling into _that_." she looked at him. "But outside of _Mai_, Maven, you and myself, and of course, Adela, and all my other cats know too, of course, but outside of us, no one knows. Because they don't, do they? You wouldn't share that kind of information with anyone!" she demanded.

"No." he answered.

She relaxed.

"Good. Like I said, we must always keep it that way. You mustn't tell anyone either, no matter what. You must promise me that no matter what, you will never tell anyone. For any reason."

"He could find out since like you said, we're agnate siblings."

"No! He _won't_! He's an actor, not a detective! He may do detectives in his work, and all that, but that doesn't make him one."

She looked nervously in the same direction Ferrando had disappeared.

"I don't understand why you're so afraid if he will."

He thought she looked and sounded more angry than scared.

"I'm not afraid of anything! And is it even important why I would like to keep that information to myself?" she demanded.

She continued her sentence, in Aragonese.

"I didn't understand what you said." he said, exasperated.

She nodded.

"I said nothing. Nothing. I've actually thought," she continued. "I should do something very, very, very bad, and then I would allow people to know. Can you only imagine what people would _say_? However, it would be no good if he doesn't care what people say, would it?"

"You don't care what people say." Terry said. "That's obvious."

"_I_ don't. But many others do. And I've always known he does. He must. And a lot."


	9. Chapter 9

Terry understood very little Aragonese, but Helena often slipped into it, most of the time without realizing it.

Sometimes using a word he knew, like a little window to peek into what she was saying, he could kind of make out what she was saying.

She said she had said nothing. But from how she'd said it, it wasn't true. She gestured toward herself, repeating the same thing twice, he could tell, and looked very agitated.

He already knew she didn't care what people thought or said, as well. That was obvious, not just in the way she dressed, but in how she acted.

"Something terrible like…?" he asked.

"I don't know. I could…drink too much? Something like that."

"It's a good think you don't like to attend social events."

Helena smiled.

"One of these days, I may. I may just change my mind. But something like that just wouldn't work!"

She stood up, and began to walk back and forth.

"You'd only end up humiliating yourself."

"That doesn't matter to me."

"Yes it does."

Helena stopped, and stared.

"I don't think you would do it, anyway." he said. "You had a good opportunity at the party your mother gave, and you didn't."

He was referring, of course, to when they had met.

"I think you're probably right." she admitted. "I should have done something like that then, you know."

"But you didn't."

"No. It's one thing to think something, and want it so badly. Another to…"

"What do you want so badly?"

"Nothing. _Nothing_. Or yes, something. I want the entire jewelry set and I saw in a catalog. Only I prefer silver."

"You want his approval."

"What good would that be to me?"

"A lot more than jewels would."

"Of course the jewels would do me good. And not just me. What do you think would look best with Adela's coat color?"

The collars and charms Helena's cats wore were just as expensive looking as anything she wore, although Terry had seen the charms had a practical use as well.

"I don't really think the cat cares."

"Adela cares." she said slowly. "You don't think she does?"

"No. I don't."

She looked at the black cat sitting on the table behind her. Then she walked over, and Adela stretched on her shoulders. Helena reached up and stroked her.

"We trust you, Terry." said Helena, meaning herself and her cats. "We trust you will keep the fact that…you will tell no one who my…genetic donor, my other genetic donor, that no one will find out who he is? Not through you?" she asked before leaving.

"I won't tell anyone."

"Good! Don't you see that it's much preferable people think I have no clue as to who he could be, rather than have them find out the truth?"

"I don't see."

"Well, _we_ do!" she meant herself and all her cats. "And I won't change my mind." she added quickly, before he had a chance to speak. "I _never_ change my mind. In regards to anything. Ever."

"_Nothing_ will make you change your mind?"

"Nothing."

"But why not?"


	10. Chapter 10

"Because I simply do not change my mind!" Helena had answered.

"Not even when you're wrong?" Terry asked.

"I am _not_ wrong! Could you prove me wrong?" she asked.

"What if I could?"

"How? Something you know that I don't?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Don't you?"

Once again, even her cats seemed to be listening intently.

"No."

"You're lying." she said. "I don't read people as well as I do cats, but you lie. Atropa bella donna, Terry!" she finished. "In a way, that is what he did!"

"What does atr-whatever you said mean?"

She ignored his question.

"There is no reason for me to humiliate myself in front of other people. And especially not _him_."

"I would not bother trying to convince her, Terry." Selina said, after seeing Helena leave the room. "She's just too stubborn to change her mind! She's always been."

"Have you tried to get her to?" he asked.

"I have. But she just won't."

"Doesn't she listen to you?"

"She does, and if I told her she had to, she would. But forcing her wouldn't be a good idea. Helena does her best to stay away from anything that could be painful to her."

"And you really don't think she would change her mind?"

"No. But I hope you can."

"Me?"

"If anyone can, it would be you. She listens to you. But you have to be more convincing when you tell her there's nothing for her to figure out."

"What?"

"Helena does not know anything, but that doesn't mean she can't figure it out for herself."

"She told me," Terry did not know how to phrase this. "she's gone through your correspondence."

Selina nodded.

"Of course."

"You're okay with that?"

"I can't say I am exactly. But I've always found it too difficult to say no to or even scold her."

"Difficult to even keep anything locked?"

"Locks wouldn't stop Helena. Nothing can stop her from getting what she wants. You didn't notice the charms?"

"Yeah, I did. She used them as keys. To open the door."

"They can serve as lock picks as well."

"I gotta say, that was creative. Did you use kitty charms?"

"No. Although I wish I would have thought of that."

"But you have to be more convincing when you lie to her, and say you don't know anything."

"And she wants to know. She said something..." he tried to remember. "Atro bell donna?"

"Atropa bella donna." smiled Selina.

"Yeah. She was saying he did whatever that was."

"It's Italian, Greek as well, a kind of warning. 'Never betray a beautiful lady'. I'm afraid she is starting to think there's something. And she wants to know."

"But there's no way she could find out, is there?"

"I can't think of any."

"By the way," Terry said. "your stepson, Ferrando, I think I've seen him somewhere before."

"You may have. Do you watch any European films, sitcoms, or anything like that?" Selina asked.

"No. Why?"

"He's an actor. Though, of course, he's known mostly in the European celebrity system."


	11. Chapter 11

"It must be exhausting." Ferrando said.

"What must?" Helena asked.

"The two of you."

"The two of whom?" she demanded.

"You and your brother, Terry. If you have anything in common, like any aspect of your personality that came from your father."

"I have nothing in common with him. We both know that I don't even know him."

"But then-"

"But then it is _mine_. And Terry doesn't have his surname, either." she added.

"I already know I have no hope of finding out that secret or any other you guard so jealously."

"I'm glad you know."

"Unless you decide to tell me."

"Then you're just never going to find out. It is _mine_."

"Right."

"And I want to know if you are working on anything." she said.

"No." he answered.

"Good. Because I have something you can help me with."

"What?"

"I want you to impersonate someone for me."

"Impersonate someone? Doing what?"

He knew Helena wouldn't ask him to do anything dangerous, but no one but Ferrando knew just in how much trouble Helena's ideas could get them into. And it could be pretty risky.

"It wouldn't be anything that would hurt your image. You may even benefit from it." she said. "And it won't be difficult."

She took a disc and gave it to him.

"Here's everything you'll need to know for it."

Ferrando took it.

"Most of it has been made up, of course." she said. "But it's pretty credible."

"Made up by whom?"

"By me."

He still didn't look too sure about it.

"I don't know."

"If you'll see, it is nothing really dangerous. It's fairly simple. I would do it myself, except there's no possible way for me to do so, and for it to make sense. And it's something you _must _do for me, Nando." she said, using a Castilian diminutive for his name.

He still didn't look too convinced.

"Your ideas have gotten us into a lot of trouble before."

"This one won't." she assured him.

"That's what you always say."

"But this is something very important." she continued. "It...it would help me...find out something that...that could...it will mean a lot. You simply memorize what's here," she gestured at the disc. "and I see to everything else

"What is everything else?"

"Everything else will simply be something to confirm a suspicion of mine."

"I'll have to know what that it."

"No, you don't. I'm on a mission, and if you won't do it, I'll find someone else who will."

"What's your new mission?"

"What I said. To confirm a little suspicion of mine that I've had for a while. So will you do it?"

"Fine."


	12. Chapter 12

"You have exactly until tomorrow evening." Helena said.

"So soon?!" asked Ferrando.

"I told you, I would take care of everything."

"People will know right away it's all fake. It's obvious you made all this up." Ferrando said.

"They won't care! It'll get such high ratings! This is the reporter I chose! Will he ever be sorry he ever spied on me!"

"What about my accent?" it suddenly occurred to him.

"Try to make it sound thicker."

"Then people will definitely know. And it makes no sense."

Helena beamed.

"That's the point."

"For people to know it's fake?"

"For people to know what is fake?" asked Terry.

Ferrando and Helena looked up.

He saw Helena take something from Ferrando, and put it in her pocket.

Helena remained quiet, so Ferrando spoke up.

"I didn't know you came into the room." he turned to Helena. "Did you?"

Terry looked at Helena who shook her head.

"You didn't know?" Terry asked.

Helena always knew even when someone was standing outside the room. How could she miss someone coming?

"But what would people know is a fake?" he asked again.

Ferrando looked as though he was about to speak, but Helena gave him a warning look.

"Fake answers to questions for an interview." Helena said.

Ferrando looked surprised.

"You're planning on giving an interview? Why would you give fake answers for an interview?" asked Terry.

"To see who believes them." Helena said.

"I don't think that's right, is it?"

"They find out, anyway. Or if they don't, they make something up." answered Ferrando.

He looked annoyed.

"And this one, we must make up the answers because it will be a very special one." added Helena.

"Why is it special?"

"Because it's to see if people really will believe anything."

"Can I know what you're going to say?" asked Terry.

"You wouldn't understand them."

"I could translate." said Ferrando.

Helena glared at him.

"On the other hand," he said. "it'll be better if you're surprised. It's something you can't imagine."

"_You_ could probably imagine it though, Terry." said Helena. "I have the feeling if anyone could imagine it, it would most likely be you."

"Why me?"

"I don't know. But perhaps Mina could tell you."

She waited. After a while, she shook her head.

"Then you," she finally said, gesturing toward Ferrando. "you should study your answers if you're going to get them right."

Then she turned to Terry.

"You'll find out soon enough! I highly suggest you watch it!"

"Will it be in English?"

"Definitely. You'll be very surprised."


	13. Chapter 13

"I know it's them! That must be what they've planning all along!" exclaimed Terry.

They were now running a commercial, announcing that, apparently, Batman was supposed to be giving an interview on tonight's show.

"They've been planning this?"

"I could tell they were up to something. But I just never thought this!"

Terry thought if Selina knew, she would keep Helena from doing it. However, that wasn't proving to be much help.

"It could be anyone. What would make you think it's precisely Helena and Ferrando?" demanded Selina.

"Helena said it was going to be a very special interview. And that she'd made up the answers!"

"But they could have been talking about something else! Anything else!"

"I don't think so."

"You just won't believe she and this actor are behind this, will you?" said Bruce.

Selina thought for a while.

"Perhaps Ferrando is." Selina agreed. "But Helena's behind nothing. Helena would never have thought to do something like this on her own. He convinced her. Ferrando's pretty clever. This has all been his idea."

"I don't think it was his idea! I'm positive it was hers!" said Terry.

"You haven't known Helena for very long."

"I've known Helena long enough."

"It wasn't her idea! Ferrando simply thought it would be a good idea, and asked Helena for help." said Selina firmly.

"And she accepted."

"He must have convinced her to help him!"

"How?"

"Like I said, you've simply just not known him for very long."

"I've known Helena long enough to know she isn't someone who's easy to convince."

"She just won't believe it!"

Helena noticed her cats' ears perk up, and turn towards the source of the sound. She did so, as well.

"You!" she said, when she'd noticed Terry. "I know for a fact that bats are nocturnal. I've only found them, either when it's dark, or when I would go deep enough in caves. I would go in, to take my cats to practice their hunting skills. To hunt something else besides small critters and birds. But I don't think you're here for them to hunt you?"

"No. I'm here to tell you to not go ahead with this interview you and a friend of yours are planning."

Helena looked surprised.

"You seem to be so convinced it's me. Are you keeping tabs on me?"

"I know you're the one behind all this."

"If that were so, which it is, actually, so you know. But you're not my father. My own father never took the time to tell me what I could or couldn't do. Why should you?"

"Ferrando said, people will spot right away that it's a fake. So there's no reason to worry." said Terry.

"It sounds as though she wants people to know it's fake. A video of her was on the same show which they've been announcing this interview."

Sure enough, there was a video of Helena, on one of her nighttime strolls Terry had seen her taking before, with Adela wrapped around her shoulders, the person commenting on the video, saying that she must certainly be following in her mother's footsteps.

"She must have been furious when she saw that." Bruce said. "If they want people to spot it's a fake, they must be looking to discredit them."

"This is the first time I get filmed or go on stage with no make up." said Ferrando.

"You're masked." replied Helena. "We just can't allow anyone to see you before you go on stage. And when you reveal your identity, you simply shake hands, and comment on how it was an honor this guy allowed you on his show or something!"


	14. Chapter 14

"You never told me, though, what happens if the real Batman shows up?" Ferrando trailed off.

Helena looked thoughtful.

"That might just be best. It will help to make this more credible."

"I thought it wasn't supposed to be credible."

"But you simply play your part. Remember, make it look as they themselves hired you for this little, uh, trick. After all, it would give great ratings, wouldn't it? And they're paying you well for it."

"But we _are_ using his name and image _without_ his permission!"

"He couldn't really do anything about it, could he?"

"And if he does?"

"That's not very likely. And if you're really worried, no one has to know it's you." Helena pointed out.

Hadn't they been through that before?

"I should never have let you talk me into this!"

"Who better than you? Haven't you won enough awards to earn this? And we've gotten this far, haven't we? You can't back out now! I have plenty of look outs! They can get here in no time, if we need a warning."

Ferrando knew she was most likely referring to her cats.

"And we stay here, until it's time."

"You're going to make web history!" said Helena.

Although she didn't care much about making web history, which was the last thing on her mind at this time. She didn't doubt that right now, her mother would know, and would probably want to keep her from carrying this out.

"Who took this? When?" Selina demanded.

"Now do you believe it?"

"Ferrando and his ideas! And Helena should have known better than to play along!"

Terry knew it was most likely Helena's idea. After all, it had been her in the video. But he decided it was best not to argue.

"She went along because she wants to teach them a lesson! That's all."

"It isn't the first time she has done anything like this!" said Bruce.

"No. Of course not." agreed Selina.

"Because you've never set any limits for her!"

"She will still be in her room."

Selina knocked on the door.

"Helena!"

There was no answer.

"Helena!" she paused.

Still no answer.

"_Helena, open the door_."

When there was still no answer, she opened the door and they walked in.

In the room, there were only two cats. One was settled on the highest shelf in the room, and the other curled among some cushions.

As soon as they entered the room, both cats left their shelf and cushions.

"Why are there only two?" asked Terry.

"Adela! Setsie! Cleo! Qamar! Vika! Irina!" Selina called some of their names.

But none of the other cats came.

"The others must be with her."

"But why did she leave Samia and Amy behind?" asked Maven. "If she's not here, shouldn't she have taken all of them?"

"They want to take you somewhere." Selina observed the two cats. "They don't seem to want me to go with them. They want you to follow them, Terry. Just you. They must want to take you to her."

"Why just me?"

"I'm not sure. But if she's taken them to wherever she is before, they'll be able to find the place."

"And they want to take me wherever she is?"

"That's what it looks like."


	15. Chapter 15

"You have to stop them."

Selina looked at her watch.

"I'll talk to Ferrando this minute. He's more than welcome to do this if he likes, but how dare he get Helena involved!" said Selina, picking up the phone.

"And she shouldn't have agreed to this!" said Bruce. "She's not a child, after all."

"He must have convinced her this might be a very interesting prank."

"He doesn't answer!" Maven said, after waiting for a few minutes.

"Terry, you go with Samia and Lili."

"How do you know they know where she is?"

Terry thought this had to be the most unusual thing he had ever done, as he followed Samia and Lili. He'd seen Helena do things like this many times.

There seemed to be no hesitation in the cats' progress as they led him to he wasn't sure where. If they could find Helena and Ferrando before they went through with it.

Although he still hoped they may decide not to at the last minute, but he knew that was very unlikely.

"How do you know they're not just going anywhere?" he couldn't help but ask.

He was following Samia and Lili. Bruce and Selina were in the Batcave.

"It's true they will find _places_, not people, but my kitten and the cats are very special." Selina explained.

"I believe that." Terry answered.

He'd seen how they seemed to understand each other, Helena being able to communicate to them what she wanted.

"You stopped one by telling it to do so." Bruce remembered. "I take it Helena has the same way with them?" he asked.

"Of course she does, how could she not?" Selina answered. "They do know where they're going, because they're confident." Selina continued.

"They seem to be going very slow." said Terry.

Both cats stopped and turned to look up at Terry.

"This it?"

Bruce and Selina paid closer attention, as he looked around. There was no sign of Helena or Ferrando anywhere.

"No." said Selina, finally.

"No?" asked Bruce.

"So why did they stop?" asked Terry.

Both of the cats looked up at Terry, Samia looking around, meowing.

"She must hear my voice." said Selina.

Terry tried to get her off, but the cat seemed insistent on finding where her mistress's voice was coming from, which was from the radio transmitter inside his cowl.

Lili seemed to want to do the same, but seemed to decide not to. Instead, she kept walking, quicker.

"How do I get her to settle down?!" Terry sounded irritated.

She began to paw at him, still meowing insistently, which he found annoying.

"Try to ignore her! Follow Lili. Mia will go with you!"

Lili hesitated for a few minutes, before running.

Neither Ferrando or Helena had any trouble acting as though they belonged in the television studio.

"And who are you supposed to be?" asked Ferrando before they entered. "My agent?"

"You don't have an agent! I mean, you do, but right now you don't."

"You're going to wait for me here?"

"No. How could I? This was my idea, after all, wasn't it? You go to the green room, then on stage, and I simply pretend to be one of the crew."

"I see."

"Do you?" she asked absentmindedly, as Ferrando went to the green room.

_Samia and Lili should still take a while_, Helena thought.

"Wish me luck."

"Good luck."


	16. Chapter 16

Terry wondered, not for the first time, how Helena managed to follow her cats everywhere. They went through the smallest spaces, and sometimes it was a bit difficult to keep up with them.

However, they seemed sure of where they were going. Sure enough, they took him right to Helena.

Though Terry had hoped Ferrando would be with her. He looked around, but there was no sign of him. But she would know where he was, he was sure.

"Miakins! My Lili!" exclaimed Helena as the two cats approached her.

Both looked extremely happy to see her again.

Terry saw that the only cats with her were Adela, Mina, and Altair. They seemed just as happy to see the other two, as well.

"No one's really used to be away from me for so long. Or from each other." Helena told him.

"Where's your friend?" he asked.

"Oh, I guess you could say my cats _are_ my friends. In a way." she replied. "As to where they are-"

"I mean your actor friend." he interrupted.

"That depends on which one you mean. I know quite a few actors."

"Quit pretending! The Aragonese one! The one who's supposed to be giving the interview tonight!"

"If you're looking for someone giving an interview tonight, don't you think he would most likely be in his dressing room? Or the green room, waiting to be called on stage?"

"You have to tell him he's not being interviewed!" he told her.

"I think that's already been set. Those ratings are going to be sky high tonight!"

"Tell him it's going to be cancelled at last minute."

"Whatever makes you think I could possibly have any influence over him?

"I know you're both in this together. Both of you are the ones who set this whole thing up to discredit some reporter. And you have to stop it."

She seemed to consider that for a while.

"No."

"You have to."

"Why? Because he will be getting all the recognition and all that, that's due to you?"

How could she possibly be worried about that?

"Because both of you could get into a lot of trouble." he said.

"No we won't. Will you be taking some kind of legal action against us? I know people can do that, but _you_ can't, can you? Or do you mean because there will be a lot of disappointed fans, or something? When they see it's not really Batman giving the interview but someone they hired for that purpose."

"Not by fans."

She turned sharply.

"Who else? Wait, you mean…"

It seemed to have dawned on her.

"Oh, I didn't think…" Helena began to say, weakly.

It seemed so obvious now, that how could she not have thought about that, she wondered.

"That much is pretty obvious. Now you see?"

"Oh, but Nando was only hired for this! They contacted his agent, they're paying him, the least he can do is, well, be interviewed and do his best! No one would do anything against him! Just his, er, employers? People must understand!"

"I don't think some will. That's why he can't do this!"

"Don't worry. He won't, because you see, Terry, this interview was never meant to be given in the first place!"


	17. Chapter 17

"No, no." said Helena before Terry could say anything. "I know it's you."

"How could she have found out? I know she would look in my things, but she couldn't have found anything there."

"She may have overheard something." said Bruce.

"She…does sometimes eavesdrop." Selina admitted. "So she may have."

"My cats told me." she answered, as if she had heard the question.

"Your cats told you?" asked Terry.

"You may have fooled me at first, but you never fooled my Mina. Or anyone else."

She gestured towards the white blue eyed Turkish Angora.

"But of course he wouldn't have fooled any of them." said Selina.

"I told you she liked you. People don't choose cats. Cats choose people."

The cat seemed to struggle from Helena's arms, and she put her back on her feet. The cat seemed happy to see Terry.

"Why is Lili listening to-to something."

She pointed. The cat still seemed to be searching for the source of Selina's voice.

"You tell me. You're the one who understands them."

"Lili hears something. What is she listening to?"

He tried to get her off his shoulders, but she kept clinging on.

"Can't you get her to get off?"

Finally, Lili reluctantly jumped off his shoulders, but still looked back.

"Miakins and Lili took a while longer, than I expected. You don't know them as well as I thought you would."

"So you left them behind for them to lead me here?"

"That's actually why I set this whole thing up. You never would tell me if I just asked, would you?"

"So this was her idea. She did set this up." Bruce told Selina once more.

"Well...I'll have to admit you were right about that." Selina finally admitted.

"No."

"I knew that. I did try to get you to say _something_. I don't believe it. I don't want to believe it."

"Does Ferrando know, too?" Terry asked.

"Ferrando thinks this whole think is just some kind of prank."

At least she didn't do that she hadn't said anything to him.

She looked up, as if she remembered something.

"Does Mai know?"

"Yes, I think she does."

She nodded.

"You've _all_ made a fool of me, haven't you? All of you."

This time, she seemed to be talking to herself, and even though she looked and sounded pretty calm, at her last sentence, the cats turned to him, and a few hissed.

"No-"

She backed away, and a couple of her cats looked ready to pounce at him.

"I should never speak to you again. Ever."

Helena had never really told Ferrando he wouldn't be giving the interview. She seemed to completely have forgotten about that.

He still waited to be called on stage. It wouldn't be too long, he knew, as he looked at the clock.

Although he was used to arriving early, this time it felt odd to not be in the dressing room, with the make up artists, finishing perhaps a few final details before he went on stage.

In a few minutes, though, he would be going on stage. Maybe to be giving the biggest interview of his career.


	18. Chapter 18

"She looked furious." said Terry.

"I'm sure she would never do something foolish!" Selina assured.

"You don't sound too convinced." said Bruce.

"You mean foolish like?" asked Terry.

"I will go and see if I can't find her!" exclaimed Selina.

And disregarding everything, she went out.

Selina knew Helena would have to see sense. Although she wasn't too convinced she would. She'd said Helena wouldn't do anything foolish, but she wasn't convinced. She knew just how impulsive Helena was. And with this, she had to admit to herself that she wasn't too sure.

I've been made a fool of! Helena thought, furiously. She hardly needed words to express her emotions to her cats. They were just as upset as she was. And everyone was in on it, she knew now. _Mai_, Terry, why even Maven, she was sure. Or maybe Maven didn't know. She really wished she didn't. At least that would be something. She wouldn't be the only one who didn't know.

But now she would be making a fool of herself, if she thought, because she was sure Maven knew as well. She really had hoped she was wrong. She had refused to believe that the only people she trusted would have lied to her.

But it wasn't really a lie, she thought. They just had never told her the whole truth. Which was just as bad, wasn't it?

"We've been fooled." she said aloud, although between her and her cats there was no need for words. "You see, one should never trust humans. They lie."

The cats seemed to agree with her. They understood her and she them without words, only with gestures, which she especially used with her deaf cat.

"Mina," she said, although the cat was deaf. "I never really doubted you. Why _did_ you choose him? It was because _I_ chose to trust him, wasn't it? And I chose very wrong. So wrong."

People were obviously more complicated than she had ever thought. Maybe there was a reason for all this. But she would never find that out sitting here.

Usually, the one person she would turn to when she was faced with something like this was her mother. But, she remembered, she couldn't trust her. Not anymore. And there was no one else. Her cats couldn't give her an answer. And she couldn't trust her _mai_.

But she had to trust Mai, she thought. She had to. She had no one else, did she? Not that she minded being alone. After all, cats were solitary predators, and one would always be used to being alone, if that was necessary. Even when they lived others, as her own cats did. Mai was the important person in her life. But now that was impossible. It was, she thought, like a kitten unable to trust a queen.

Selina had told Terry not to look for Helena. That might just make things worse, she'd said. And Helena said she would never talk to him again. And knowing her, she just might not.

It looked like it had been a mistake, to not have told her the truth. He had thought she might have suspected they were hiding something from her, but Selina said she was sure there was no way she could find out.

Why hadn't he thought to watch her cats more closely? He should have learned to take them more into account. To him, they were only Helena's pets, and nothing else. And even if he hadn't, he knew she worked around actors.

He shouldn't have let her do the portrait, either. Maybe that was what made her suspect. But it didn't seem like anything at the time. And she had been willing to give him all of the things her mother had stolen, even if she did it grudgingly.

If he had told her himself, she wouldn't have been so angry as she was, if she'd heard it from him, he knew. He shouldn't have told her that Selina knew, either. Helena had her mother on a pedestal, and the fact that she'd known, could have only made things worse. She must have found that more upsetting than anything else.

Now the only thing to do was to hope she would understand. She would just have to understand it had been for her own safety. He remembered it had taken Dana a while to understand that when he told her. But Helena may not be as understanding.


	19. Chapter 19

"One would think you'd be thrilled at the way things turned out. Everything turned out perfectly." said Ferrando.

He was going through some magazines, reading comments about the interview.

"After all, it was your idea." he continued.

Helena just continued to sit on the floor, not saying anything.

"I guess it did turn out perfectly." she finally said.

"But you don't sound too happy about it."

Helena didn't answer, and just stared at the floor.

"I did my best?"

She didn't answer. She obviously wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying.

"People are wondering if everything else he's ever said is true." Ferrando made another attempt.

"It may be." she said quietly.

"This may teach them to stop spying on people?"

Helena just seemed lost in thought, so he left.

She didn't seem to notice it.

"I know Helena's great at giving the silent treatment, but I've never seen her use it against Selina before." Ferrando was saying to Terry later. "That is a cause for concern."

"She's not talking to her, either?" Terry asked.

Helena not talking to Lady Selina? Ferrando was right. That would be a cause for concern.

"What do you mean, 'either'? She's not talking to you?"

"I thought she wasn't talking to anyone. Do you know how long this could last?"

After all, Ferrando knew her better.

Ferrando looked thoughtful.

"Days. Weeks. I wouldn't be surprised if it were months."

"Months? You think she could end up not speaking to Lady Selina in months?"

"I would have thought you'd have noticed by now how stubborn she is."

"Well, yeah, but against Lady Selina?"

"Depends on how upset she is. She would use it against _Pai_. That's why I'm wondering whatever could Selina have done to get Helena so mad at her? Do you know?" he asked.

"No." answered Terry.

"I thought you may know whatever it is."

"I don't. Maybe you could get her to talk to Lady Selina! I know she listens to you."

Maybe Ferrando could even get Helena to talk to him, as well. Then he could explain to her better.

"If she doesn't end up not talking to me, either." said Ferrando.

"Ferrando said she wasn't talking to you."

"She's not."

"That this could last for weeks, even?"

"Oh, it could, but I don't think so." she didn't sound too convinced herself.

"Then what could we do?"

"She'll get over it, eventually."

"What if she doesn't?" asked Terry.

"She _will_."

"I asked Ferrando if he would talk to her. But maybe I shouldn't have done that!"

But only now he realized that she may tell him.

"I just couldn't think of anything else!"

"She wouldn't tell him anything, I'm sure." Selina assured.


	20. Chapter 20

"Was that wise? She could tell him." said Bruce.

"Helena would never want anyone to know she was, uh, fooled." Terry was sure.

Helena couldn't let Ferrando think she had been fooled. By anyone. It would make her just like the people who fell for the fake interview.

"How could people have been so stupid?" he said.

"Because they're _people_." answered Helena, coldly.

She didn't want to think that she had fallen for the same thing as they had.

"I thought it was because I played my part well."

"But you didn't play anything. _Didn't_ your father never approve of the career you chose? _Haven't_ you studied the martial arts since you were nine? _Don't_ you like to go scuba diving? _Don't_ you like to ride a motorcycle? _Isn't_ your work your life? _Don't _you not really have much time to date?"

"What about you? Selina told me you haven't come out of here for at least two days."

"I have no reason to come out."

"You haven't congratulated me, either."

He held out a magazine again.

"Something happened while I was giving the interview."

"I can't say."

It wasn't, after all, her secret.

"Whatever it is, you need to get over it!"

"I _won't_!"

She looked away.

"What has Selina, of all people, done?"

She stayed quiet.

Ferrando was too used to Helena's not wanting to talk about things. Although he could see she was a little depressed. Even Cleopatra wasn't her usual, playful self. None of the cats were, when their mistress was so upset. He could see there just wasn't anything else to do today. He would have to see if she got over any of it tomorrow. Or in a few days.

"Will you see me to the door?" he asked.

Helena looked thoughtful for a minute.

Altair jumped down from her perch on one of the cat trees, and slowly, almost wearily, went out of the room. Ferrando knew she was probably going to check that there was no chance of encountering anyone on the way out.

"Yes." she decided, once the calico cat returned to the room.

At least that's something, he thought.

Helena came out with Ferrando.

"She came out with him." said Terry.

They had been keeping an eye on Ferrando, as well, since he had exposed himself on the night when he'd given the interview.

"She wasn't supposed to go out."

She stopped for a while, feeling Adela move one ear, but dismissed it. It was probably some bird, or any small animal that had gotten the cat's attention. Since the cat just continued to doze on her shoulders.

"There's something over there." Helena said to Ferrando.

Or someone, she thought, furiously. Now is he _stalking_ me?

Ferrando didn't seem concerned. He just glanced at the same direction she did, for a minute.

"I think you have to go now."

She was about to turn, when she realized there were more than one.


	21. Chapter 21

"You were stalking me! Why?" Helena demanded.

This was the first thing she'd said to him in weeks. He would have been glad about it, if this wasn't happening.

Just as Helena and Ferrando had been walking, they had been surprised. Or rather, Helena and Ferrando had been surprised. Terry really hadn't.

"I had a feeling something like this would happen." Terry answered.

Helena looked furious, she looked at her mother.

"You didn't know, Mai!" she begged.

After not receiving answer, she saw that Selina did know. Again.

"He wasn't stalking-" Selina began.

"I can look after myself!" Helena interrupted. "But it seems to me that Nando must have been their target."

She now seemed to have regained some control over herself, and looked absolutely calm. The whole thing seemed to have affected her very little. Apart from the fact that Ferrando had been kidnapped, and she herself had narrowly escaped, she seemed completely unscathed.

"You don't seem too upset by it. It seemed to me Nando is someone you really cared about." said Terry.

Helena ignored him. She was already angry enough with herself for having spoken to him.

"I know you probably don't like the media, so you won't say anything. I don't think this kind of publicity will do his image any good."

"You're worrying about his image!" he asked.

"He is worried about it, too, I know."

"The important thing is you're fine. And I'm sure Nando will be, too." said Selina.

"We-We'll find him."

She stood up.

Seeing that her cats stood up and walked over to her, Terry said, "'We're' not doing anything."

"And what if I do want to go!" she challenged.

"You're not going anywhere. You're staying here." Bruce said firmly.

Helena looked startled. She blinked and looked away. She didn't seem to want to contradict him. Or maybe she just didn't want to acknowledge he was in the room.

"Don't you _dare_ speak to Helena that tone!" said Selina.

She went behind her mother. Seeing as she didn't like the way her daughter had been spoken to, Terry was sure Selina, or anyone else had never spoken to Helena in that way before. She seemed to be more upset now than she had been before.

"What if I don't want to stay." she turned to her mother.

"You are! And I'm not letting you out of my sight."

Selina glared at him.

"Y-You are my own personal wardens?"

She looked around the room.

"No, but we don't want the same thing that happened to Ferrando to happen to you." said Selina.

"But it was shown that the whole thing, it was just a lie. He was only acting. I still don't understand how people could possibly have fallen for it in the first place! I really didn't think anyone would think it could possibly be real."

"Obviously you didn't think." said Terry.

"But this was all my idea. If only I had never come up with this stupid idea, then none of this would have happened. I'm really starting to wish none of it ever had! _I don't want you to be mad at me, Mai._"

"Don't worry, it will be fine."


	22. Chapter 22

"Your kitties can't help?" asked Terry.

They had certainly found her.

"No!"

"They found you."

"They find places, not people. And I won't let them help _you_! And _I_ won't, either."

He was losing patience.

"It will be easier if you stop acting like a child! Don't you want to help Ferrando?"

This did seem to have an impact on her. She stayed silent for a while.

"You do it." she finally said. "You did say you would."

He shook his head in frustation.

So this must be what it felt to be a prisoner, Helena thought. She had her back to everyone.

"_I don't want to stay here_." she said to her mother.

She spoke in her language, wanting only Selina and Maven to understand what she said.

"Talk English." her mother told her.

This time, telling Selina what she wanted wasn't going to help or solve anything, and she knew why. She only looked at Bruce with a look of resentment, although she didn't want to met his eye. She didn't want to be in the same room.

"_I want to leave_." she tried again. "_I won't escape._"

"Go with Maven."

Gratefully, her cats followed, as eager to get out of the room.

"You do think she may go and try to find them herselves." said Bruce.

"Helena doesn't look for trouble. Trouble usually finds her. It always did me." Selina added, stroking Cleopatra.

Only Cleo was more attached to Selina than Helena.

"You went looking for it. I just hope it doesn't take her as long to come to her senses, and she doesn't get into the same sort of troubles you sometimes did. A few life threatening."

Selina did look uneasy.

"She won't. I really never thought she'd get into something like this."

"Didn't you?"

"Not like this! And you shouldn't talk to her the way you did!"

"Someone had to. You always indulged her too much. And she's too reckless."

"Well, Terry simply finds Ferrando, and we can forget this whole thing ever happened. And _not_ keep Helena under lock and key. Only right now."

"You don't trust her, either, if you sent Maven with her."

"Only because she's very upset!"

Ferrando wasn't the only one who had been kidnapped. They had gone for the reporter as well. He was sure they thought he must have been in on it as well.

"I'm not the only one!" said Ferrando.

The same reporter to whom he had given his interview was there as well.

"I don't see what's so funny." he said, seeing Ferrando's smile.

Ferrando sighed.

"Nothing about this is." he said, seriously.

"Was this what it was all for?"

"I'm not the one who reveals things about people's private lives. I don't mind the media. Only when they have no respect."


	23. Chapter 23

"Can you tell me something about them?" Terry tried again.

"_No, I can't_!"

"Speak English, will you?"

"I don't know how you would say it in English."

"Yes you do!"

She was being deliberately unhelpful. He felt like shaking her, which obviously wasn't an option right now, as they were speaking through the com link.

"I don't want to help _you_!"

"You can really hold a grudge, can't you? You're acting like such a child! We will find Ferrando much faster if you tell me."

She hated to admit it, but she knew he was right. And she hated to admit she was wrong. But she wouldn't make it easy for him. But if she wanted to find Ferrando, she had to help him.

"It was a little bit like when you film such a scene."

"Only this one was real."

"_Well, yes. It was, but there were no cameras, no crew, no…nothing_."

"No Aragonese!"

"Not Aragonese! Polish. I learned a little from a couple of Polish born actress. They're sisters."

"You're speaking Polish now, are you?"

He didn't even know she spoke Polish.

"Only a little bit."

"I don't think now's the time to show off how many languages you speak, Helena!"

"No, it's not!" she admitted.

Now the important thing is, how are we going to get out of this mess, thought Ferrando. It really did look hopeless, he thought.

None of the parts he had ever done had been kidnapped, so he'd never even pretended to be kidnapped in his work.

"We have your agent to thank for this!"

"It wasn't my agent." Ferrando said. "Only someone you filmed once, who I happen to know."

"And who was this someone? I don't know who you're talking about."

"I'm not surprised. You've filmed so many people, I guess it must be hard to keep track of them all." he answered. "You were very eager to get me on your show, though."

"If I'd known it was all just-"

"You would have been more than happy to still have me on your show pretending to be Batman, as long as no one found out the truth. That you had hired me to pretend you were interviewing him."

"I can't believe I fell for it!"

"Neither can I."

"Everyone went to save themselves." Helena was remembering. "Well, they had to, after all. I did try to help, but there were just too many of them."

"Can you remember something about them?"

"Like?"

"What did they look like?"

"I pay very little attention to people most of the time. They don't interest me too much."

"I should have known that."

"And you can use Altair's charm to help, too!"

"What does Altair's charm have to do with it?"

"She's missing one. All my kitty charms have tracers on them. In case anyone gets lost, which isn't very likely, or they fall off. Then we can just find them."


	24. Chapter 24

"I always invest my time in useful things I enjoy."

"Like you cat charms."

"Anything having to do with my cats. Besides, they can come in handy, can't they? Unlike what some people waste their time on. I made sure they took it with them." Helena said.

"Why didn't you just tell me that in the first place?" Terry asked.

"I just wanted to make sure to give you as much of a hard time as I possibly could." she replied.

"And you're ingenious at that!"

Maybe Selina knew a remedy for the headaches she caused, he thought. She must have lots of patience to deal with Helena.

"Thank you."

"I didn't mean it as a compliment."

"You should have."

"You didn't set _this_ up, as well, did you?" he asked, suddenly. "Like you did the interview."

"Why would I do that?"

"You tell me."

"Did you?" asked Selina in what was sternest voice she had ever used with Helena, which actually wasn't very stern at all.

"No. I…how did we ever end up in this mess?"

"Can you trace the charm?" he interrupted, before she could go on.

"Yes. Although it would be quicker if we went and got it ourselves."

"No."

"We only go and get our charm back. It _is_ ours, after all."

Adela meowed, as though agreeing with her 'owner'.

"Why can't we?" she demanded. "The charm belongs to us, and it only makes sense that we should go and retrieve it ourselves. What if we were to lose it for good? That's a fortune."

"You're worrying about that?" he asked incredulously. "I'll make sure to get you your charm back, as well."

Ferrando thought Helena would be very happy to hear just how well this had worked. Even he didn't think it would work this well.

Helena's ideas almost always ended up getting them or whoever had been involved into trouble. But never this kind of trouble.

When he'd agreed, he had been more worried about getting into legal trouble for having used someone else's name and image without their permission.

Now he wished they had ended up in the middle of a scandal instead, because it didn't seem like he was going out of this one alive. It looked very hopeless.

"I don't know who Batman is." Ferrando kept repeating. "I pretended to be Batman for that particular evening. And none of this was in the contract."

"Look!" said Helena. "There my Altair's eagle is!"


	25. Chapter 25

"I thought you were never going to speak to me again."

Terry was actually surprised Helena did.

"I wasn't," Helena agreed.

"And what made you change your mind?"

"You did get Nando out of that mess that I got us into. But in the end you did solve everything."

"I hope you learned a lesson."

"Oh?"

"To not go looking for trouble. He told this wasn't the first time you have."

"I don't go looking for trouble. Trouble's the one who usually finds me."

"Here's your charm back."

Terry held it out to her.

"You really didn't have to get the charm back."

Helena took it, and Altair stepped up. She put the charm back on the cat's collar.

"I'm so glad that's over." she finally spoke again. "Oh! And I did forget to say I was sorry. Because I was so unreasonable. So, I must ask you for an apology."

"Apology accepted." he said.

"Thank you. Now we can forget _everything_ about it. And everything having to do with it, as well."

"Everything?"

"Of course. I see now Mai didn't tell me herself, because it simply was not her secret to tell. It was yours, but-" she stopped herself.

"But?"

"I won't tell anyone. I'm pretty good at keeping things myself. I'm in no position to ask, but you must do something for me."

"Why do I have to do whatever it is for you?"

What was it that she couldn't do herself.

"Because it's something I can't do. What you must do is…you must go to…to…Pai, and you must…apologize."

"That's the first time I've heard you call him 'pai'." he noticed.

"You must apologize to him." she ignored him.

"Apologize?"

"Yes. For, um, for everything."

"No."

"But…an apology is necessary, isn't it? For everything. Will you?"

"No, I won't." Terry said.

"You won't?"

"No, because I think you should be the one to tell him yourself."

"I can't do that."

"Why not? Because you don't apologize?" he asked. "You just did to me."

"But that was a little different."

"I don't see how it's too different."

"You see him, I don't. So it would be easier for you."

"Even so."

"But it would be easier for you."

"No, I think that's something you should do yourself."


	26. Chapter 26

"You may want to turn around." said Bruce.

Helena stood with her back to him. She turned slowly, but kept her eyes on her hands, the floor.

"I couldn't get anyone else to help me. Terry wouldn't do it, Mai wouldn't do it, Maven wouldn't do it, so…I had to come myself." she finally said.

"They wouldn't do what?" he asked.

"Say I was sorry." she finished.

That did take him by surprise.

"I'm very sorry for everything. I guess you would have preferred a very different daughter."

"One like Valerie?" he asked.

"Valerie?"

"You dedicated the award you won for her to me. Along with at least four others."

"You _were_ watching. I always did…but I never thought you would actually watch. You just…never came. And I'm very sorry because I always thought it was because you…"

"No, I did care."

She nodded.

"I know."


End file.
